Emulating Japanese Boro ("Rag") Art

A few nights ago while perusing YouTube I happened upon a video about old Japanese fabrics and was particulary intrigued by this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9g6y6O-myA

It spoke of Japanese Boro art, the ancient art of salvaging useable pieces of fabric from garments that were otherwise worn out.

The second garment shown captivated me. For as long as I can remember I have kept and recycled and upcycled outworn fabrics and fabric scraps into diverse forms of art. A stack of 4"x4" denim square from my grandaughters' outworn or outgrown jeans remained in my stash from a denim and velvet quilt that I made for my daughter at the holidays last year. Also in my stash was a swath of homespun fabric that I had inherited from my daughter's mother-in-law. The homespun fabric had, heretofore, never found its way into a project.

Here is my completed modern interpretation of the ancient, fine art so skillfully developed in the Far East.

2010 Take on Ancient Boro Art

Jacket Front

Jacket Back

Reversible Jacket Front

Reversible Jacket Back

Jacket with Front Panels Open

Designs Created with Clorox Bleach Pen

Initial Layout of Back Panel

Back Panel Construction

Back Panel on Dress Form

Jacket Front Laid Flat

Connecting Side Tabs